Dear Members of the Santa Clarita City Council and Parks Commission,

 My name is Nas Angulo and I am a longtime resident and the Store Manager of Pharmacy Boardshop in the Valencia Mall. Since we opened last year in December, I have had a front row seat to the incredible surge in our local skate community. The traction and excitement we’ve seen from residents of all ages have been overwhelming, clearly demonstrating that the demand for high quality recreational space in our city is at an all time high. I want to first thank the City for extending the Santa Clarita Skate Park hours to 9:00 PM two years ago - a move that has been immensely positive for the community - but given the significant growth we are witnessing both at the shop and on the streets, it is clear that our facilities need to evolve alongside our population. I am writing to propose that we extend the closing time to 10:00 PM, a change I will detail in this letter by addressing: first, the need to accommodate students and working professionals whose schedules only allow for late evening recreation; second, the vital importance of providing a safe, well lit alternative to the extreme daytime heat to our upcoming Spring and Summer seasons; and finally, how this extension ensures our youth remain in a supervised, sanctioned environment rather than seeking out unlit or private areas. By adding this final hour, the City would further support the positive economic and social momentum that businesses like Pharmacy Boardshop are bringing to Santa Clarita. 

 The current 8:30 PM closing time creates a significant and unnecessary hurdle for a large portion of our community, specifically the students and working professionals who make up the core of our local skate scene. I speak daily with customers who do not finish their shifts, commutes, or academic commitments until the early evening, leaving them with a dangerously narrow window of time to reach the Santa Clarita Skate Park before it shuts down. This restricted timeframe is especially difficult for beginners and younger skaters who rely on the expertise of dedicated instructors like Shawn Rennie from Push Skate School and Hydro Mike, who offers private lessons. These mentors provide essential private lessons and high level supervision that ensure our youth are learning the sport safely, practicing proper etiquette, and building character; however, under the current operating hours, their ability to work with students after school or work is severely limited. By extending the hours to 10:00 PM, the City would provide these working adults and students the necessary time to decompress and exercise in a productive, supervised environment. Supporting the structured lessons provided by these local leaders ensures that the park remains a place of growth and mentorship, rather than just the place to hang out, and directly invests in physical and mental well being of our residents who contribute to the vibrancy of Santa Clarita.

 Beyond the scheduling needs of our residents, the environmental and logistical realities of our region make a 10:00 PM time a matter of accessibility. As we move into spring and summer seasons, Santa Clarita regularly experiences extreme daytime temperatures that climb well into the 90s and triple digits, making high intensity physical activity at the Santa Clarita Skate Park during daylight hours physically draining and potentially dangerous for riders. Furthermore, the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center directly next door draws massive crowds during these peak heat hours, frequently exhausting the available parking spots and creating a significant barrier for those trying to reach the skate park. For many in our community, it is simply not practical to use the facility until the sun goes down and the Aquatic Center traffic clears. Since the park is already equipped with high quality lighting, staying open until 10:00 PM would maximize the city’s existing investment by allowing the community to utilize the facility during the cooler, safer night hours when parking congestion has eased. This final hour is the most valuable window of time for the many students and working professionals I see at Pharmacy Boardshop who rely on this park as their primary safe space for exercise and community connection.

 Finally, extending the hours to 10:00 PM is a critical step in ensuring the safety of our local youth by keeping them in a sanctioned, well lit environment rather than on the streets. As the Store Manager of Pharmacy Boardshop, I see the consistent influx of new, young skaters coming into the shop to buy their first boards, proving that our local skate community is expanding rapidly and needs more space to grow safely. This growth is supported by dedicated local mentors like Shawn Rennie and Hydro Mike; these are exceptional individuals who not only teach technical skills but are instrumental in supervising and looking after the kids. Extending the hours would allow these instructors more time to utilize the facility for beginners in need of guidance, ensuring that the next generation of riders learns in a controlled setting. When the Santa Clarita Skate Park closes its gates while these riders are still active, many are left with no choice but to migrate to local parking lots, school campuses, or private business centers where they face increased risks from unlit areas and vehicle traffic. It is also important to note that the City of Santa Clarita’s curfew for minors does not begin until 10:00 PM; by closing the park at 8:30 PM, the city is inadvertently pushing these young residents into unsupervised street skating for an hour during which they are legally allowed to be out. Extending the park’s hours would bring the facility into alignment with the city’s own safety standards, protecting these new skaters from hazards and fostering a culture of mutual respect between the skate community and local law enforcement.

  In closing, I would like to remind the Council and Parks Commission that the Santa Clarita Skate Park has a long and successful history of operating with even later hours, previously remaining open until 10:30 PM without issue. Re-establishing a 10:00 PM closing time isn’t a radical request but it is a return to a proven standard that our city has already demonstrated it can manage effectively. It is also important to highlight the deep ownership and pride our local riders take in this facility. I can personally attest that the regulars and locals here carefully look after this park as if it were their own. We have a culture of respect where the community consistently works together to keep the area safe, clean, and free of the issues that often plague unsupervised spaces. We have always kept this park in excellent condition precisely because we value it so highly and want to prove we deserve these extended hours. Furthermore, with the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station located literally one minute away, the park is in one of the most secure areas of the city, ensuring that any concerns regarding late-night crime are naturally mitigated by the nearby police presence. We have the infrastructure in place, professional mentors like Shawn Rennie, Hydro Mike and myself ready to supervise, and a growing community that is simply asking for a safe, cool space to exercise after the heat of the day has passed. By extending the hours to 10:00 PM, you are rewarding this community’s responsible stewardship and ensuring that Santa Clarita remains a leader in providing world-class recreational opportunities. Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your continued support of our vibrant skate community. 

Best Regards,

Nas Angulo

Store Manager, Pharmacy Boardshop

Valencia Town Center